PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marty Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Papa Harlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Papa Harlow has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Bell
vs
Harlow

224 cm
23
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marty Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Papa Harlow!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harlow forces Bell back against the cage and clinches.

Bell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harlow tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bell defends well and Harlow ends up having to push Bell into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Harlow looks for a takedown but Bell sprawls well.

Harlow rushes Bell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Harlow is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A right hook to the body lands for Harlow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bell trying to land knees to the body.

Bell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harlow misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Harlow closes the distance and clinches.
Bell is trying to force a seperation but Harlow has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell wants to take the fight to the mat but Harlow manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Harlow has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Marty Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Papa Harlow.
Harlow is trying to pull guard but Bell turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bell is looking to control Harlow's arms but Harlow gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bell has his back to the cage.
Harlow using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Harlow is trying to pull guard but Bell turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Harlow is trying to break the clinch but Bell has him pressed against the cage.
Bell goes for a takedown attempt but Harlow pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Bell gets a clinch.
Harlow is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harlow looking for a takedown.
Harlow jumps guard but Bell turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Harlow looks winded!

Bell wants the takedown. Harlow is fighting it off but Bell persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Harlow's guard against the cage.
Bell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Harlow looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bell passes into half guard.
Harlow scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Bell manages to mount him!
Harlow wants to control but Bell is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bell looking to secure an arm triangle but Harlow defends it well.

Bell is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Harlow is surviving well by controlling Bell's body position as best he can.
Bell throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bell looking to finish Harlow with some ground and pound. This is bad for Harlow!
Harlow tries to lock up and control but Bell gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Bell there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Harlow blocking the ground and pound.
Bell lands a big elbow.
Harlow is looking to improve his position but Bell isn't that keen on the idea.
Bell breaks from Harlow's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Bell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bell pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marty Bell dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bell dives in and grabs Harlow's left leg, looking for a takedown. Harlow pushes down on Bell's head and hops out.

Harlow fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bell, pushing him back against the cage.
Harlow drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bell gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bell.

Harlow's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harlow dives in and grabs Bell's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bell pushes down on Harlow's head and hops out.

Bell feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bell won't allow Harlow to sweep him here.
Bell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Harlow works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Harlow is breathing heavily.
Harlow working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harlow working a defensive guard but Bell passes into half guard.
Harlow tries to get to full guard but Bell has control of the leg.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bell connects with a nice short shot to Harlow's temple.

Bell is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Harlow trying to control but Bell postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bell lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Harlow blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bell.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Harlow doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bell.
Bell thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Bell is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Harlow's half guard.
Harlow is trying to stand up here but Bell is controlling him well.
Harlow is trying to get back to full guard.
Bell thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Harlow's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Marty Bell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bell is nestled in close to Harlow, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Bell looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Harlow tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marty Bell dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Bell shoots in for a takedown but Harlow shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Harlow avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Harlow takes the fight into the clinch.
Harlow has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Harlow fails to pull guard.
Bell throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Harlow blocks it with crossed arms.
Harlow keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bell's efforts to push away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bell tries to pull guard but Harlow forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Harlow breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bell moves into range and clinches up with Harlow.
Bell tries to pull guard but Harlow forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marty Bell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harlow working Bell over with knees to the body.

Harlow breaks the clinch.
Harlow lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Harlow closes the distance and pushes Bell back into the cage.
Harlow is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bell to keep the fight standing.
Bell misses with a punch to the body.

Harlow decides to pull guard.
Harlow takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Bell is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Harlow is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Harlow has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Harlow.
Bell looking to control.
Harlow trying to control the position from guard on top but Bell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Harlow wanted to stand there but Bell had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Harlow slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Harlow trying to control the position from guard on top but Bell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Harlow tries to keep at a distance but Bell has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Harlow taking a breather.

Harlow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Harlow clinches up with Bell and pushes him back against the cage.
Harlow is looking to take this one to the mat.
Bell wants a takedown but no success here.
Bell keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Harlow's efforts to push away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bell is trying to drag Harlow to the mat but Harlow just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Papa Harlow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marty Bell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Harlow misses with a hook to the ribs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Papa Harlow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bell has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marty Bell!